Courtside Scenes: BHS vs EHS

Cody Quattrocci

January 14, 2025 @ 10:49 AM

I popped into a classic cross-county showdown and it did not disappoint. While this game felt like a lopsided affair, there was plenty of intrigue to parse out from both sides. Get a read on a couple of D1s top teams, including a few players who don't always get the limelight.   [player_tooltip player_id='645616' first='Nylah' last='Mitchell'], 5'10 W - Burlington H.S. Class of 2025   Up 15 at the half, Burlington was led by the dynamic play from [player_tooltip player_id='645616' first='Nylah' last='Mitchell']. Her versatility and relentlessness were on full display as she pressured wings, captured rebounds, and ran the floor in transition. So much of her offense came at the rim, finding seams in the defense off of tough jab steps and slashes, going for a game-high 32. The do-it-all approach ties BHS together and she's looking like a favorite for GPOY.   [player_tooltip player_id='1263374' first='Mae' last='Yenkavitch'], 5'9 G - Burlington H.S. Class of 2027   Alongside Nylah, Mae led the charge. Mae often squares up with the opponent's lead guard as she did tonight. With her lengthy frame, agility and pressure, Mae did well to disrupt much of Essex's rhythm throughout the contest, junking up plays as she sought to get the ball out of the PG's hands and force others to organize. In turn, tough shots from EHS turned into transition opportunities, where Mae found the bucket. She opened the game with a crisp corner 3 and added multiple strong finishes at the rim to drop 13 on the night along with a few rebounds to go with. Often an unsung hero, Mae's two-way game showed how critical her presence is in this one.   Harper Guthiem, 5'10 W - Burlington H.S. Class of 2027   There's a steadiness and simplicity to Harper's game that I find refreshing. Guthiem showed herself to be that reliable wing her anchors the defense, plays big around the rim to collect rebounds, and knits the offense together. Her help positioning defensively covered the second layer when guards got beat, forcing EHS to shoot jumpers. Her rebounding flourished as she attacked the glass and secured possessions. And offensively, it's just her movement and spacing. BHS runs a loose offense, and her intuition maintains solid spacing and timing.   [player_tooltip player_id='576153' first='Alexa' last='Rabidoux'], 5'8 G - Essex H.S. Class of 2025   While Lexi received a lot of defensive attention she did manage to orchestrate some strong runs. Rabidoux unlocked a few things for EHS with her distribution, leading to some clean jumpers which fell for the Hornets and kept them hanging around. On the defensive end, she's always ready to go head-to-head. Her work to stay in front, force tough shots and clog gaps kept BHS' slate of scorers from running away with this one.   [player_tooltip player_id='630364' first='Emma' last='Hogson'], 5'11 F - Essex H.S. Class of 2026   The classic forward led Essex with 12 points, mostly off of putbacks around the cup. Emma's a relentless pursuer of the ball and uses her physicality well around the iron to create space and finish. Moreover, she did well to recognize mismatches, taking smaller defenders to the block and working for position. A hustle player who scraps every minute.   [player_tooltip player_id='645779' first='Grace' last='Lepine'], 5'9 W - Essex H.S. Class of 2025   On a night where the bucket seemed smaller than the ball, Grace was able to remind everyone that is not the case. Her spot-up shooting proved key as she added nine points, mostly off of catch and shoot jumpers in the mid-range. She moved well to provide angles for kick outs and knocked down the much-needed open looks.   Colleen Sonnick, 6'0 W/F - Essex H.S. Class of 2027   Sonnick was able to add seven points to the EHS cause, showing her range with a 3-ball along with a couple inside finishes. Her inside/out ability usually opens up more possibilities, but Burlington's size and athleticism matched up well and took away a lot of her go-to moves. Regardless, the effort never wavered and it's clear the young dynamo has game that continues to grow.

I popped into a classic cross-county showdown and it did not disappoint. While this game felt like a lopsided affair, there was plenty of intrigue to parse out from both sides. Get a read on a couple of D1s top teams, including a few players who don't always get the limelight.